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Minister must step in to save Edmonton’s only public fertility clinic

Posted by Keegan Wynychuk on November 03, 2017

EDMONTON, AB (November 3, 2017): Alberta Liberal MLA David Swann has released the following statement on the cutting of services at the Edmonton Regional Fertility and Women’s Endocrine Clinic at the Royal Alexandra Hospital:

“Yesterday, I was immediately concerned when we were contacted by email with concerns about potential service cuts at the Edmonton Regional Fertility and Women’s Endocrine Clinic at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. Later that evening, a document surfaced on Twitter appearing to confirm this rumour.

“Today, I join with affected patients and the Friends of Medicare in expressing my disappointment with this decision. And, while I appreciate this maintains support for existing public programs, I am calling on Minister of Health Sarah Hoffman to step up for public health care and bolster public fertility services.

“According to the federal government, roughly 16 per cent, or 1 in 6, of couples in Canada experience infertility. This number has doubled since the 1980s. In Alberta, the cost associated with fertility treatments are completely borne by patients.

“That is why, prior to the 2015 provincial election, Alberta Liberals identified infertility funding as a major policy priority and recognized that funding of fertility treatments such as Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) was necessary to ensure families who require treatment have reasonable and fair access to treatment.

“The NDP must do more to help Albertans facing infertility in the public health care system, instead of offloading them onto the private sector.”